4,000 financial sector employees get new top executives
Executive leadership in the financial sector is undergoing major changes. Saxo Bank, Bankdata and Netcompany Banking Services are all set to get new CEOs. Read our update here.
One of the longest-serving top executives in the financial sector, Kim Fournais, is stepping down following the acquisition of 71 per cent of Saxo Bank, which has around 2,300 employees, by Bank J. Safra Sarasin, a Swiss bank.
The change of ownership means that Kim Fournais, co-founder of Saxo Bank in 1992, will take over as chairman of the board. Kim Fournais will retain a 28 per cent stake in Saxo Bank.
New CEO of Saxo Bank will be Daniel Belfer who has, so far, been a top executive of Bank J. Safra, which specialises in private banking and asset management. 50-year-old Daniel Belfer, originally born in Brazil, brings 30 years of experience from the financial sector.
At the same time, a new governance and management structure is being implemented at Saxo Bank, implying that the new Board of Management will now include, in addition to Daniel Belfer, Deputy CEO Henrik Juel Villberg, CFO Mads Dorf Petersen and Chief Risk and Compliance Officer (CRCO) Julio Carloto.
“Today marks a major milestone for Saxo Bank, our dedicated employees, valued clients and trusted partners – and for me personally. I am incredibly proud of what we have built together since I founded Saxo Bank in 1992, and I feel very confident that Saxo Bank has found an ideal long-term owner," Kim Fournais said in a statement.
Esben Kolind Laustrup steps down
Bankdata's nearly 1,000 employees were recently informed that CEO Esben Kolind Laustrup will be leaving this summer after having managed Bankdata since 2019.
On LinkedIn, Esben Kolind Laustrup explains his sudden departure in detail:
"After seven years in the position, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime, which I just have to pursue," he writes.
He tells Børsen that it has been the hardest decision of his working life, but that it is a unique opportunity.
He has yet to disclose his new career path, but he has revealed that it will be outside the financial sector.
In his place, Deputy CEO at Bankdata, Peter Braad Olesen, will be assuming the role of CEO. He joined Bankdata in 2025 from a position as partner at McKinsey.
Peter Braad Olesen holds an MSc in economics (cand.oecon.) from Aarhus University and has over ten years of experience from McKinsey. According to Esben Kolind Laustrup, it is a good choice.
"Over the past seven months, he (Peter Braad Olesen, ed.) has demonstrated that he has what it takes – and on top of that, he is basically just a good person. And Bankdata deserves a leader with the heart in the right place," Esben Kolind Laustrup states on LinkedIn.
John Fisker, CEO of Ringkjøbing Landbobank and Chairman of the Board at Bankdata, also has praise for the new CEO.
"The Bankdata community has never had a stronger competitive position than it does now, and we must capitalise on that. We have no doubt that Peter (Braad Olesen, ed.) is the right CEO to take Bankdata to the next level," he said in an announcement.
Former CEO of SDC steps down
At Netcompany Banking Services (NBS), former CEO of SDC, Torben Finnemann, is stepping down.
This is subsequent to the completion of the acquisition of SDC (and its approximately 630 employees at the time) in July 2025.
In an announcement, Netcompany explains how the first phase of the integration of SDC into NBS has been completed and how Torben Finnemann is stepping down as part of a planned leadership transition.
"I knew that my task would conclude when the first integration phase was complete. I am proud of what our colleagues at Netcompany and the former SDC have accomplished together, and I remain available to support a proper transition through to 30 June," he states.
The current Commercial Director at NBS, Thomas Cordth, will take over as CEO.
According to Netcompany, besides having been part of establishing NBS, he has a strong understanding of the market, the clients and the culture.
"He also brings more than 25 years of experience from Netcompany and knows how important stable operations and quality of delivery are," says Jens Aaløse, Country Managing Partner at Netcompany Denmark and board member of NBS.
Thomas Cordth reports that his focus in the initial period will be on stable operations and a high level of delivery reliability.
"My task is to ensure long-term stability and continuity in day-to-day operations while stepping up a gear and accelerating the development pace of new innovative services and products for NBS banks and the banking sector in the Nordic region," he writes on LinkedIn.